Tropical Depression Forms – Could Become Tropical Storm Arthur Later Today

It's something forecasters watch for this time of year. A low pressure system slowly moving off the coast of the United States over very warm water. That is just what has happened in the case of the first tropical depression of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane season.

The system which was part of an old frontal boundary moved over northern Georgia and across South Carolina last week and become nearly stationary over the very warm waters of the Gulf Stream current.

The past couple of days the system  has maintained its low level spin and with fuel from the warm ocean waters has now begun to show characteristics consistent with a tropical cyclone.

The National Hurricane Center evaluated the system yesterday and declared it to have reached tropical depression stage. If forecast conditions hold true this depression could strengthen further and become the seasons first named storm. If it does receive a name it would called Arthur.

The tropical forecast models are in general agreement that this will become a tropical storm and it will begin a general movement toward the north. The current forecast track for this system will bring its center very near the Outer Banks of North Carolina over the July Fourth Holiday and then out to sea in the North Atlantic.